Combined fish-plate and rail-chair.



T. PARKS & J. GOUGHLIN. COMBINED FISH PLATE AND RAIL 0mm.

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APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 11,1909.

Patented J l 27, 1909.

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THEODORE PARKS AND JOHN COUGHLIN, OF COLUMBUS, NORTH DAKOTA.

COMBINED FISH-PLATE AND RAIL-CHAIR.

Specification of Letters-Patent.

Application filed January 11, 1909.

Patented July 27, 1909.

Serial No. 471,695.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THEODORE PARKS and JOHN COUGHLIN, citizens of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Ward and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Fish-Plate and Rail- Chair; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a combined fish plate and rail chair.

The object of the invention is to provide a fish plate and rail chair by means of which the meeting ends of the rails may be securely fastened together and anchored in the ground or ballast of the roadbed.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will be simple, strong and durable in construction, reliable and eliicient in operation and which may be readily applied to or removed from the ends of any of the rails without disturbing the other rails or joints.

l/Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a side view of the meeting ends of two rails showing the application of the invention thereto; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the same; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the plates removed.

teferring more particularly to the drawing, 11 denote the ends of two rails, and 2 denotes my improved fish plate and chair which consists of two plates, each of which is bent adjacent to its upper edge to form the fish plate portion 3 of the device, and a flange engaging portion or chair 4-. The flange engaging portion or chair is formed by bending or folding the plate upon itself to form upper and lower flange engaging plates which fit closely against the upper and lower sides of the rail flange or base, as shown.

Below the chair portion of the device the plate is bent at right-angles to form a downwardly projecting anchoring portion 5, said anchoring portion being preferably cut out to form an open frame which, when the device is in operative position, is embedded in the ground or ballast of the roadbed.

in the lower portion of one of the anchoring plates is formed a horizontally disposed slot 6 and said slotted lower portion of the plate is preferably oft-set to a slight extent. On the lower portion of the opposite anchoring plate is formed a reduced tongue 7 which is bent inwardly or off-set to a slight extent as shown. hen the two plates are assembled, the tongue 7 is inserted tl'irough the slot 6 of the opposing anchoring plate thus firmly securing the lower portions of the plates together. After the sections have been thus engaged, the tongue and slot connection will form a hinged joint whereby the upper portions of the plates may be swung into engagement with the sides and base portions of the rail. When in this position, the fish plate portions 8 of the device are bolted to the opposite sides of the rails by means of clamping bolts 8 which are inserted through the bolt holes 9 in the fish plates 3 and through alined apertures formed in the ends of the rails.

iVhen the device is thus applied to the rails, the latter are securely held together and a firm seat or chair is provided whereby the ends of the rails will be supported in perfect alinement and the end of one rail prevented from dropping or settling below the end of the opposing rail and a smooth, uninterrupted tread surface thus provided.

Through the opening formed in the anchoring portion of the chair the end of a tie may be inserted thus securely holding the chair in position.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

l. A device of the character described, comprising pairs of. plates bent to form fish plates, flange-engaging chairs, and down wardly pro ecting apertured anchors adapted to receive the end of the tie:

2. A device of the character described, comprising pairs of plates, each of which is bent adjacent to its upper end to form a fish plate and below said fish plate is bent to form upper and lower flange-engaging plates whereby a seat is provided and below said seat is bent to form downwardly projecting anchor plates, said anchor plates being apertured to receive the end of a tie.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a pair of plates bentto form fish plates, flange engaging chairs and down wardly projecting apertured anchor plates adapted to receive the end of the tie, and means formed on the lower ends of said anchor plates whereby they are hingedly connected together.

4:: A device of the character described; coinprisingpairs' of plates bent to form fishplates, flange engaging chairs and down-' wardly projecting apertured anchor plates adapted to receive the end of the tie, one of said anchor plates having formed therein a slot, and a tongue formed on the opposite plate and adapted to be engaged with said slot whereby said plates are hingedly connected together.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THEODORE PARKS. JOHN COUGHLIN Witnesses GEO. JEwE'rT, HILDA GRINA. 

